John Reilly: Teen pageant winner pushes for more community service

Wednesday

Aug 31, 2011 at 12:01 AMAug 31, 2011 at 12:26 AM

According to a new study compiled by researchers at Edinburgh University in Scotland, people with symmetrical facial features (commonly defined as “pretty” people) are far less likely to cooperate with others and are far more likely to selfishly focus on their own interests.

John Reilly

According to a new study compiled by researchers at Edinburgh University in Scotland, people with symmetrical facial features (commonly defined as “pretty” people) are far less likely to cooperate with others and are far more likely to selfishly focus on their own interests.

The study, which was presented at the Nobel Laureate meetings in Germany in August, seems to indicate that our conceptual ideas of “dream” mates –– you know, like Natalie Portman or Amanda Peet –– may not necessarily make the best life partners.

Last week, I had an email conversation with Margo Huffman from Westminster, Md., a sophomore at Winters Mill High School and third runner-up in the 2011 Miss Teen International competition held in Chicago. In preparation for the interview with Ms. Huffman, I got my hands on a copy of the new study so that I would be prepared to observe, first hand, what this new research is reporting.

For starters, I asked Ms. Huffman what she does in her spare time.

“Well, I volunteer a good deal of time to the Believe in Tomorrow’s Children Foundation, a charity that provides housing for critically ill children and their families. We have a belief that embracing normal family life greatly improves the healing process,” Ms. Huffman told me. “I’ve found a great connection there. One of my favorite experiences was the time I spent with a 9-year-old girl who was scheduled for her second heart surgery. I think I was able to take some stress off her family, who were going through a very difficult time.”

Ummm … Not exactly the response I expected based on the report I was holding. But maybe it’s just an outlier.

“I’ve grown up with community service,” Ms. Huffman continued. “I love being busy. I've donated hundreds of hours with wonderful organizations like the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, Reach Out and Read and the W.I.S.H. Foundation. I was volunteering long before I ever started competing in pageants. But I compete in the pageants because of community service. I’ve found that I can use these titles and these pageants as a microphone to promote volunteerism.”

Okay … Now I’m starting to question the conclusions of this report.

With her success in these competitions, Ms. Huffman has been afforded the opportunity to shine a light on the charities she supports. And, in order to provide the brightest possible illumination, she has started her own organization, Margo’s M.O.D.E.L.S, which stands for Making an Ongoing Difference in Every Life through Service.

“You know, community service doesn't have to seem like work,” Ms. Huffman said. “I think this is a common misconception for kids my age. Everyone can find a type of community service they really connect with and truly love. For example, if you love sports, you can get involved by helping the Special Olympics. It's all about finding the right type of volunteer opportunities.”

Alright, who authored this new research study –– Paris Hilton?

Based on the volunteer work she has done, Ms. Huffman has received two gold Presidential Service Awards and is working on her third. She has been named the Believe In Tomorrow Children's Foundation international spokesperson, and her own organization has become a certifying association for the Presidential Service Award –– meaning that Margo, a 15-year-old high school student, can present this prestigious service medal to deserving volunteers.

She enters her sophomore year as class president and, from her first year in school right up to today, not one single teacher has had to put a curved line on her report card –– straight A’s for nine consecutive years.

She has dreams of attending John Hopkins University to study pediatric oncology but emphasizes that she will never, ever stop educating others on the benefits of community service.

Perhaps like she has just educated me. Now where the hell is that shredder?

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